Youth in Action Grants – Funding Guidelines
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
Youth are our community’s most powerful and effective volunteers, serving our community in varied and helpful ways. United Way of Peel Region and the Region of Peel are committed to partnering with youth to address key social issues in our community. United Way of Peel Region and the Region of Peel believe that both youth and young adults are instrumental in creating positive, measureable and lasting changes.
Youth in Action is a one-time grant opportunity focused on youth-led projects that offer creative youth-initiated ideas to address community issues in Peel Region. Youth and/or groups of youth between the ages of 14 and 24 are encouraged to submit an application. Requests can be made for up to $2,000 per project. A total of $20,000 funded by United Way of Peel Region and the Region of Peel is available for distribution through this granting opportunity.
Rationale:
Youth are a high priority; they have both important and unique assets and needs that require attention and support. According to the 2006 census, 14.1% of Peel’s population is made up of youth between the ages of 15 and 24. This segment of our population can bring many fresh insights and inspired solutions to community issues. In many ways, youth and youth led organizations are best-positioned to know what will work for other youth in our community (Roots of Youth Violence Report, 2008). Youth who feel excluded become disengaged and are particularly at risk. Offering alternatives and ways for youth to become engaged at the neighbourhood level is a key element to youth engagement. It is important to provide support to youth themselves so that they can participate in and provide leadership, if they so desire, to create the opportunities and solutions for their neighbourhoods while best using their own skills.
The purpose of the Youth in Action grant program is to:
Motivate and encourage youth to become involved in their communities in Peel Region To seek and empower youth leadership within neighbourhoods in Peel Region Raise awareness and inspire change regarding issues that are of interest to youth in Peel such as civic action, healthy living, immigration, poverty, violence, mental health and disability
Key Criteria:
To be considered for funding, projects must:
1. Focus on achieving one or more of the following outcomes:
Youth have increased positive social skills and healthy lifestyles, including increased awareness about substance abuse
Youth have increased positive social skills to succeed, respect diversity, personal empowerment and confidence
Increased youth engagement, leadership opportunities, and inclusion in their families, schools and communities
2. Reflect genuine youth volunteer ownership and leadership in their design, implementation and evaluation;
3. Provide a clear and achievable action and evaluation plan, clearly defining the outcome(s) that the project is striving to achieve;
4. Build and strengthen skills and abilities of youth involved with the project;
5. Clearly benefit the local community as well as support neighbourhood development through increasing youth and resident participation in neighbourhood activities, and improving the quality of neighbourhood life;
6. Be inclusive and accessible to all (i.e. language and/or cultural diversity, physical accessibility, financial costs and transportation)
What project ideas are not eligible?
Projects that are for youth but not initiated or led by youth Membership fees in clubs and organizations Fundraising projects or donations to other groups or organizations, religious groups or political organizations Alcoholic beverages Fines and penalties Purchase of large scale capital assets/technology Overnight camps/workshops
Who Can Apply?
Youth aged 14 to 24 who have great ideas on how to develop and promote youth involvement in their community in Peel Region:
Youth that create awareness and change about youth issues Youth that create opportunities for, and to develop, youth leadership Youth that enable youth to become involved and active in their community Youth that enable youth to realize their potential
All applicants must work with a Sponsoring Organization.
What is a Sponsoring Organization?
A Sponsoring Organization is a registered charitable organization. United Way of Peel Region and the Region of Peel can only provide grants to registered charities. Projects need a Sponsoring Organization that can provide their registered charitable number on the grant application form. The Sponsoring Organization receives the funds on the youth/youth group’s behalf and is accountable for the funding. It is strongly recommended that you contact positional sponsoring organizations well in advance to discuss and secure their support for your project.
Need a Sponsoring Organization or more information on Sponsoring Organization criteria? Contact Nicole Dupuis at 905.602.3622 or ndupuis@unitedwaypeel.org
Timeline:
August 2011
Call for Proposals
September 2011
Information Sessions
Friday September 30 2011
Deadline for applications
October 15th, 2011
Youth in Action Grant Interviews
November 2011
Selected groups notified and funding agreements mailed
November 24th, 2011
Deadline for signed funding agreement- Collected at “Meet and Greet” Event at the United Way of Peel Region Office
December 2011
Funding cheques distributed to groups
December 2011-July 2012
Projects are executed
July 31st, 2012
Deadline for project final reports
Proposal Format:
Please send 1 electronic copy and 1 signed hard copy of your application to:
Nicole Dupuis
United Way of Peel Region
90 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Suite 408
Mississauga ON L5B 3C3
ndupuis@unitedwaypeel.org
Decision-making process:
The Youth in Action Panel will be responsible for reviewing all applications and participating in the decision making process. The Youth in Action Panel is part of the United Way of Peel Region’s Young Leaders Council, which is comprised of young adults aged 20-35 years who live or work in Peel Region. During the decision making stage shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in an interview with members of the Youth in Action Panel.
Information Sessions:
We strongly encourage all youth to attend one information session:
Tuesday September 13th, 2011 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Region of Peel Building
10 Peel Centre Drive, Room 985B; enter through main entrance
Brampton, ON
Wednesday September 14th, 2011 6:00 – 7:00pm
Caledon Centre for Recreation and Wellness
14111 Regional Road 50 N (Hwy 50) Bolton, ON
Thursday September 15th, 2011 6:30pm – 7:30pm
City of Mississauga Civic Centre
300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga; Civic Centre Committee Room A
Mississauga, ON
Please RSVP attendance to Nicole Dupuis at ndupuis@unitedwaypeel.org
Application Package and Further Info:
For further information and to obtain an application please contact Nicole Dupuis, Manager, Stakeholder Engagement at (905) 602.3622 or via email ndupuis@unitedwaypeel.org
Examples of 2009/2010 Youth in Action Grant Recipients:
- Intergenerational Computer Project: A project that brings together youth and seniors to have the opportunity to learn from one another and share in meaningful activities; computer program and leisure activities exchange.
- Meals with Love: This project aims to bring about positive change among low-income families in the Peel Region, in need of healthy food. Delivery of 50 food hampers with nutritious and fresh foods along with a component for healthy eating education.
- Project ONE: Operation INSPIRE: This project will run urban/hip hop dance lessons to teach the youth in the local community the basics of how to dance, it will also include a mentoring component after each lesson.
- Sigma A Beats Program: This project will work with youth in Unit A in the Roy McMurtry Youth Detention Facility in Brampton. They will engage music teachers and a hip hop lab to learn the fundamentals of music, and how to produce it. They will focus on their life experiences and struggles which includes a youth anti-violence message.
- Unsaid: This project will illustrate how racism and homophobia intersect, and what the impact is on communities in Peel. This will be done through a webpage and art installation project.
- Youth Making a Difference Workshop: This project is a daylong workshop event targeted at secondary school students. The main purpose of the workshop is to educate, empower, raise awareness and work in solidarity for change with the youth in the Peel Region.
- Youth Opportunities through Community: This project will provide an opportunity in organized sport to children who would not otherwise have the chance to participate; the project goals are to promote the importance of community, safety, and equity in our youth population.
- PEYA EcoBuzz Conference: A conference that brings together 350 students across the Peel Region to connect, collaborate and exchange ideas about social justice and environmental advocacy. Youth have the opportunity to network between schools, peers and environmental organizations in the community.
- Out of the Fire and into the Kitchen: A series of weekly workshops that create a safe environment aimed to draw youth away from violence. They will learn an essential life skill - cooking - and learn about the youth justice system and their rights from community speakers.
